A step for an escalator has become known from Patent Specification DD 69443 A. The step is of skeleton-like construction and substantially consists of a bent-over support plate which forms the side parts and the front part. A bracket to which the guide wheels of the step are fastened is arranged at the support plate. A bent-over tread plate is connected with the side parts by force coupling and serves as a step closure in upward direction. The front part of the step is closed by means of a front panel connected with the support plate.
Such a step is very heavy, because the support plate—notwithstanding beads provided for stiffening—has to be of relatively thick construction if the requisite stability is to be ensured.
A plate for a moving walkway has become known from GB 2173757 A, which defines the category. The tread element rests on three carriers arranged transversely to the travel direction. These carriers are constructed as angle sections. The three carriers in turn rest on three cheeks arranged in travel direction, wherein not only the two outer cheeks are mounted by rollers, but also the centre cheek. The cheeks are similarly formed from angle sections. Due to the total of six angle sections this construction is very heavy. In this connection it should also be noted that these previously known plates of moving walkways have only a low height. In the case of steps for escalators the individual cheeks would have to have an appropriately greater height, whereby steps provided with such previously known cheeks would have an extremely high weight. Moreover, in the case of steps for escalators, which run at an appropriate inclination, the angle sections have to be correspondingly processed and one limb cut to size obliquely.